Device for applying adhesive to a traveling surface



Dec. 25, 1951 RUAU 2,579,967

DEVICE FOR APPLYING ADHESIVE TO A TRAVEL INS SURFACE Filed July 15, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET l '52 [1,33 'H$F f5 Dec. 25, 1951 RUA'U 2,579,967

DEVICE FOR APPLYING ADHESIVE TO A TRAVELING SURFACE Filed July 15 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Patented Dec. 25, 1951 UNITED STATES OFFICE DEVICE FOR APPLYINGADHESIVE- T TRAVELING SURFACE Flix.,Frdric-. Ruan, .London, England. assignor to MolinstMachine. Company. Limited, London, England;aBi'itish.company.' I Application July-1:5; .1947,:sermm;= 361,018; IniG'reatBritain J filyr30,.1946;

This. invention r concerns, improvements: 011 relating to adhesive-applying;devices;

Insome. automatic machines, .for'examplerclgarette-making machines I of the continuous rod type, it is necessary, to apply; adhesive; to atravellingsurface such as.a-.moving,.web.of paper or the like.

According. to therpresent. invention therejis provided. an. adhesive applyingii device:- comprising an enclosed-chamber.havinglan inlet andan.

,which adhesive in the: chamber can DIESSIOJJIEGI the rotor :in-the. desired axial direction.

The milling surface of the rotor.may-be.prcvided with oneor moregrooves:to'formfchannelsz be: oftaperinggform in which case'the conduit is I resiliently-urged toward its-smaller end to mainfor the. adhesivete facilitate. :its passagerthrough..

the device. Thewgroove orgroovesmayabe smaller-=1.

near the outlet than nears the inlet (ea g. .ta-

pered). for the purpose. ofreducin gthespaceior: the adhesive: as it approaches the. 1outlet,: ,so':: as progressively. to. mill theadhesivemorethorough- 1y as it passes through the device? The rotor maybe cutaway rtoprovide apspaces.

adjacent the .inlet to facilitate entry ofetheadr hesive into thecylinder, and the grooveorgroovesr on the rotor rmay open into: said space;

The device may comprise anozzzle; andaimov able part having a duct .to communicatewith the: nozzle, .said .movablepart being; adapted to.- be5.=

movedso as to put =theduct into or: out ofzrcom-smunication with the .outlet-to-.-controla thesuppliy;

of adhesive through thenozzle. The. nozzle may;-'

be movable. with the movablepart which comprises a conduit.having. aportand whichismov able soas tomove saicliport.into.and..out.of.com--- munication'with the outlet.

Thesaid conduit maybe rotatable about itsaxis tomove the port, and'fthe nozzlemay be an-v gularly movableabout the axis of'saidQrotatable. conduit so" as to-rotatethe latter, whereb'ylsuch' angular movement is effective to turn .on or. out.

oi? the supply of adhesivethrough.thenozzl- The said rotatable conduitand its;seating ,may,-

taina close fit. A stop (e; g. an adjustable stop) may berprovidedto limit theangular movement ofIsaid-nozzle.

Further according; to the present. invention there 1 is provided. in an adhesive-applying de-' vice. havinggachamber andx-an outlet therefrom,

a nozzle, and a movable part having a duct to communicate with .the nozzle; said. movable part -being:adapted tobe-movedso as input the duct into or outoficommunication with the outlet to control the supply. of adhesivethrough thenozzle.

The. 1 nozzle may. be movable with the movable.

partiwhich comprises aconduit having a. port and whichis movable so as to move said: port into and out ofgcommunication .with the outlet.

The saidv conduit mayt be. rotatable. about its axis;.to. move the port, andr-the nozzlemay be angularly. movable about thetaxis. of isaidirotatable conduitso astorotate the latter, whereby such angular movementisefiective to turn. onor cutofi the supply. of adhesive through the nozzle. The saidrotatableconduit and its-seating may be .of.

tapering form in which case the conduit is resiliently; urged towardsitsz smaller end to maintain a ,closefit; Astop (e.zg;.an.adjustablestopl maybe-provided .to limit the angular. movement of said nozzle.

An adhesive; applying... device in accordance with the invention, .and adapted for.- use with .a-

continuous rod cigarette making. jmachine, will now hes-described by, way of. example with: reference to. the accompanying. drawings inf-which.

Figure; 1 is a vcross-section through the bed of a cigarette-machine shovvlngthe device partlyin section.

Figure 2; is. a plan of part ofyEigure 1. Figure 3. i .asection on III-III Figure-.2. Figure .4 is a. section on .IV+IV Figure 2.

Referring... to thedrawings; the deviceillust trated is employed to appiy. adhesive; in this case:

starch paste, .to. the. moving .webzof cigarette paper). L Thedevice is located. at apartofthe ma chine adjacent the position where thelap .ofthepaper web is turned aupfor: .theiapplication .of adhesive thereto and thcnozzlez of... the device is positioned sothat 'its.'-orificeican be brought into ort'substantially. into contact-with. the paper.

The devicecomprises a casing t havinga cylindricalinnerzsurface and forming achamber lfor the. adhesive. Towards the end of thechamber remote from the paperweb isan aperture 5 in a side wall 'formingnan inletv for the adhesive. This inlet isuprovided with an external union 6 Where- 3 by it may be connected with any suitable kind of pressure-adhesive-feeding device.

Towards the other end of the chamber is a further aperture 1 forming an outlet and leading from the interior of the chamber towards the nozzle 2 which will be described in more detail later.

Within the chamber is fitted a rotor 8 of gen: erally cylindrical form. The part of the rotor which lies between the inlet and theoutlet has its curved surface adapted to co-operate with the corresponding inner surface of the chamber to mill adhesive passing through the chamber from the inlet towards the outlet. The rotor is arranged to be rotated for this purpose, and accordingly has a shaft 9 formed integrally with the body of the rotor and extending from one end thereof and passing "through a hole It in the end wall of the chamber which is remote from 'the paper web. The shaft is adapted to be connected to any suitable external driving means for ro-' tating the rotor. As shown this means consists of a shaft ll having half of-a coupling I2 at one end which engages with the other half which is fixed on the shaft 9. A small sprocket wheel i3 is fixed on the shaft l I and connected by a chain 14 to a sprocket wheel I on a shaft 16 of the cigarette machine; in practice the tape drum shaft.

The diameter. of the rotor is such that it is a fairly close sliding fit in the chamber, the clearance being in neighbourhood of .003 inch.

The length of the rotor is a little less than that of the interior of the chamber, and in the end face of the rotor opposite to the shaft end is bored a hole which accommodates a compression spring I! and a plunger l8 which presses against the end wall of the chamberwhich is formed by a spigot 19 on a bracket 26 so as to urge the rotor towards the opposite wall of the chamber. There is thus a space 2| between the end face of the rotor in which the spring plunger is located, and the corresponding end wall of the chamber. The outlet 1 communicates with this space.

Near its other end the operative part of the cylindrical surface of the rotor terminates in a cutaway portion Which constitutes an annular trough 22 of square cross-section. This trough provides a space between the rotor and the cylindrical wall of the chamber, and the inlet 5 opens into this space.

A helical groove 23 resembling a screw thread is cut around the cylindrical surface of the rotor,

the groove diminishing in depth and width as it leads from the inlet end to the outlet end.

Alternatively a number of longitudinal grooves may be out along the operative part of the cylindrical surface of the rotor. These grooves, which extend from the space adjacent the inlet to the end of the rotor adjacent the outlet, are tapered so as to be smaller (that is, narrower and shallower) at the outlet end. Or a series of circular grooves joined by one or more longitudinal grooves might be used. 7

As stated above, the outlet leads from the interior of the chamber towards the nozzle. intermediate the outlet and the nozzle is a rotatable conduit in the form of a hollow member 24 of circular cross-section which fits closely into an enclosed space of corresponding shape so as to be rotatable therein. The conduit has a port 25 formed in it which can be brought into communication with the outlet 1, which leads from the chamber into said space. The arrangement 7 minute leakage.

4 is such that on rotation of the conduit within the said space, the port is moved into and out of communication with the said outlet.

The aforesaid hollow member or conduit is of frusto-conical form as shown in Figure 2, and is arranged to be pressed inthe direction of its taper into the corresponding enclosed space by a spring 26. This spring is a torsion spring and serves another purpose as explained later. The purpose of this arrangement is to enable a close fit to-be obtained even though the parts may wear, since wear is taken up by the conical conduit moving furtherinward under spring pressure. At the one end, the conduit has fixed to it'the nozzle 2 with which it communicates. As stated above, the device is so positioned that the orifice of the nozzle can be brought into contact with the turned-up lap of the moving paper web as shown in Figure 1. The nozzle is fixed to the conduit, so that the conduit is rotated when the nozzle moves angularly about the axis of the conduit. The parts are 50 arranged that when the nozzle is, as shown in Figure 1, with its orifice in contact with the paper web, the port 25 in the conduit is in communication with the outlet 1. When the nozzle is swung up to any considerable extent, however, the port is moved away from the said outlet which is thus closed.

An adjustable stop 21 is fixedat a suitable position to limit the downward swinging movement of the nozzle, so as to'locate the orifice correctly relative to the paper web. The stop comprises an adjusting screw which enables small adjust- ,ments to be made to the position to which the erative part of the rotating rotor and the chamber walls towards the said outlet and thence through the nozzle. In its passage through the chamber, the adhesive is subjected to considerable mixing and rubbing action between the chamber walls and the surface of the rotating rotor. As the adhesive enters the chamber it tends to pass along the groove or grooves on the rotor surface which are in communication with the trough 22 and which act as channels for the adhesive. The adhesive also exerts a pressure on the opposite wall of the trough to that from which the grooves lead and this tends to press the rotor towards the chamber wall through which the rotor shaft 9 passes. Further, adhesive accumulates in the space 2| at the outlet end of the chamber and, being under pressure, tends to press against the end face of the rotor, urging the rotor in the same direction. The pressure of the paste in the space 2| and in the trough 22 in this way assists the pressure ofthe spring plunger which urges the rotor against the chamber wall and seals the aperture through which rotor shaft 9 and the chamber and that only a small quantity of adhesive leaks through. This small leakage is in fact desirable to provide lubrication for the shaft 9 and accordingly the shaft is not made too close a fit to prevent such The groove or grooves on the rotor is or are,

as stated above. narrowed .down from. the inlet end towards the outlet end. The purpose of this is to decrease the extent of-the passage aifiordedthe adhesive-- as it-moves through the deyiw; i so that I the space available for-the adhesive is -pro;- .g ressively-reduced-as it passes from the inlet to wards the outlet; the-adhesive thus beingsub Jeeted toan increasingly thorough milling or grinding action as it passes through the chamber.

When the nozzle is at an appropriate angle to cause the port in the conduit to communicate with the said outlet to the chamber, the milled adhesive passes through the said outlet and port into the conduit and thence into the nozzle and emerges from the orifice on to the paper web.

When it is desired to cut off the supply, the nozzle 2 is swung up away from the paper web, and the rotatable conduit 24 is thereby turned so as to bring it out of communication with the outlet 1, which is thus sealed oil. Swinging the nozzle in the opposite direction to its operative position restarts the flow of adhesive.

Suitable mechanism may if desired be provided for automatically swinging the nozzle upwardly to cut ofi the supply of adhesive, for example whenever the cigarette making machine stops.

Such a device is shown in Figure 1 and comprises a solenoid 28 with a plunger 29 which presses against a pin 30 on a hand lever 3| fixed to the conduit. The solenoid is connected to a battery 32 by for example the starting handle 33 of the machine when in the ofi position. The plunger is sucked back and the conduit is rotated to cut off the supply by the torsion spring 26 previously mentioned. Alternatively the device may be operated by the hand lever 3 I.

It will be seen that the arrangements for pressing the rotor against the chamber-wall provide a very simple means of sealing the aperture and do away with the necessity for glands for this purpose, while the small leakage that does occur is found to provide sufficient lubrication for the rotating shaft.

If desired the nozzle may be made extensible lengthwise in order to enable the orifice to be brought nearer to or further from the paper web.

Alternatively if the nozzle is not made extensible the casing 3 of the device is arranged to be movable bodily for this purpose along a guide 34, Figure 4, on which the device slides and is locked in any desired position by a screw 35.

It will be appreciated that when the supply to the nozzle is out 01f the pressure will buildup in the space 2|. The adhesive supply device may therefore incorporate a clutch or trip in its driving arrangements but since this device forms no part of the present invention it is not necessary to describe or illustrate it in detail.

What I claim as my invention and desire to .secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An adhesive applying device comprising an enclosed chamber of circular cross-section and having two end walls and a tubular wall, and having an inlet for adhesive, said inlet being formed in the tubular wall, and an outlet for adhesive, said outlet and inlet being spaced apart axially of the chamber, a rotor of circular crosssection rotatable in the chamber and having a milling surface cooperating with the inner surface of the tubular wall, and operable between the inlet and outlet to mill adhesive passing axially of the chamber and rotor between the two said surfaces toward the outlet, a shaft for rotating said rotor and extending through an end wall. of the chamber, and resilient pressure means to urge. themotor axiallytoward that. end, wall. of. thchamber through which the shafhotthe, rotor" extends. te -seal, theaperture-fon theshaft.

rotor axially inthe desired direction to seal the said aperture. g

3. A .dev eas cla med. n claim. 1. wh re n. the

I milling surface of*th'e rotor isprovidedwith at least one helical groove forming a channel for the adhesive and leading toward the outlet to 'facilitate the passage of the adhesive through the device.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3 wherein the groove is smaller near the outlet than near the inlet for the purpose of reducing the space for the adhesive as it approaches the outlet, so as progressively to mill the adhesive more thoroughly as it passes through the device.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rotor is cut away to provide a space adjacent the inlet to facilitate entry of the adhesive into the chamber.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the milling surface of the rotor is provided with at least one groove whichopens into the said space adjacent the inlet.

7. A device as claimed'in claim 1, comprising a movable nozzle, a movable part having a duct to communicate with the nozzle, and means connecting said movable part to the said nozzle for movement therewith, said movable part being adapted to be moved on movement of the nozzle so as to put the duct into or out of communication with the outlet to control the supply of adhesive through the nozzle.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the said movable part comprises a conduit having a port and is movable so as to move said port into and out of communication with the outlet.

9. A device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the said conduit is rotatable about its axis to move the port, and wherein the nozzle is swingable about the axis of said rotatable conduit so as to rotate the latter, whereby swinging movement of the nozzle is efiective to turn on or cut ofi the supply of adhesive through the nozzle.

10. A device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the said rotatable conduit and its seating are of tapering form, and wherein the conduit is resiliently urged towardsits smaller end to maintain a close fit.

11. A device as claimed in claim 10, wherein a stop is provided to limit the angular movement of said nozzle.

12. In an adhesive-applying device, a chamber for adhesive, a hollow member adjacent said chamber, an outlet for adhesive communicating with said chamber and the interior of said hollow member, a nozzle-device comprising a conduit having an elongated portion contained in said hollow member and' rotatable relatively thereto about its longitudinal axis, a nozzle communicating with said conduit and swingable about the said axis so as to rotate the said elongated portion of the conduit, a port in said elongated portion, said port being movable into and out of communication with the outlet by rotation of the conduit, whereby swinging of the nozzle is effective to turn on or cut off the supply of adhesive through the nozzle.

13. A device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the said rotatable conduit and its seating are of tapering form,and wherein the conduit is re- 7 siliently urged towardsjts tain a close fit. e

14. A device as claimed in claim 13 wherein a stop is provided to limit the angular movement of said nozzle.

FELIX FREDERIC RUAU.

REFERENCES CITED The, following references are of record'in the file of this patent:

smeller end to mam-J UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Cushing et a1. "Jan. 15, 1895 Scott Sept. 13, 1921 Perkins Jan. 15, 1935 Leary Sept. 20, 1938 Johnson T Mar. 5, 1940 

